Arguments Male -vs- Arguments Female

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I read a quote from a UK broadsheet daily a few weeks back (sadly I can't find it now, so I'm quoting from memory. It went something like this:

'Men argue to win the argument - women do so to seek the truth'.

Based on that quote alone are we to conclude that women are therefore more constructive in their ability to argue, with a predefined goal in mind and that men have different and more neanderthal priorities - ie Big-Kid-King-of-the-Castle objectives?

Does anyone think there is any truth to the above quote?

Are men supposedly more competitive by nature, hell-bent on making sure they win everything, including arguments?

What do women do with this all-encompassing and unequivocal 'truth' when they finally receive it as a result of an argument - especially if it's a truth they don't necessarily wish to hear?

Could it not be said also that the above quotation renders women unnecessarily complex?

There are various arguments within this argument. Men arguing with men, men with women, women with women and I'm sure posters have many different takes in terms of defining the way both sexes behave depending on who they're arguing with. This beckons the question:

Does the way we argue possibly *define* our gender????

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 15:36 (twenty-three years ago)

'Men argue to win the argument - women do so to seek the truth'.

counter-theory: 'men argue to seek the "truth"' - women do so to get best results

competitiveness vs objectivity. OR. objectivity vs pragmatism

― gareth (gareth), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 15:43 (twenty-three years ago)

the women i know argue to make others see the truth hahahaha.

no really, it all depends on what you are arguing about, who with, how strongly you feel about it, and how much time you have! sure there are different ways of arguing but i dont think it can be simplified into gender-based 'slots'. i know women and men who argue 'both ways' depending on the situation.

― donna (donna), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:03 (twenty-three years ago)

'Men argue to win the argument - women do so to seek the truth'.

I think that the exact opposite is the case in my marriage. Does that make me gay?

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, I want to introduce the author of that quote to my housemate.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:17 (twenty-three years ago)

If we were going to make that generalization we'd be better off putting it like this: "Men are socialized to see argument as a competition in which one point of view can prevail or be objectively demonstrated as closer to 'truth.' Women are socialized to either not have opinions or not be confident in them ('don't worry your pretty little head about that'), so their arguments become more about expressing and discussing their subjective personal feelings about and responses to an issue than putting them in direct competition with somebody else's. Both of these rhetorical modes have their advantages and their disadvantages, and neither can be claimed to be 'better' or 'worse' at uncovering truth."

But even if it's true this is a shrinking gap and an ever more useless generalization: it's not as if women are any less adept at bullet-pointed semantic-wrangling troll-logic than men are. And I think the rhetorical mode gets dictated more by context than sex.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:26 (twenty-three years ago)

In other words, the whole thing can only be true insofar as we teach our children to make it true.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:29 (twenty-three years ago)

I argue to make the other person believe what I think is true. Doesn't everyone?

― isadora (isadora), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:50 (twenty-three years ago)

colin meeder should be a stand-up~;)

― Barnaby (Barnaby), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 20:56 (twenty-three years ago)

issadora - totally, except when you're playing devils advocate.

― di smith (lucylurex), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 21:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Nabisco is basically OTM, esp. in his 2nd para. This is the kind of topic re. which the world needs essentialism like a hole in the ozone layer.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 13 November 2002 21:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I argue because I'm always right.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 13 November 2002 22:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Fuk U U r gay.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 14 November 2002 17:28 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

Ned - wow! Such vitriol! And from where?

― Rumpie, Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

men don't argue to seek the truth because we already know the truth. women want to know the truth, but they can't handle the truth.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

(p.s. i think it's all bollocks different people argue for different things)

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:44 (twenty years ago)

and at different times

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

Ken, what is the truth?

― Rumpie, Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

'Men argue to win the argument - women do so to seek the truth'.

My girlfriend disproves this point.

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

Actually, in our case it would be

"Women argue to win the argument, Men argue to nitpick the truth"

― Hurting (Hurting), Thursday, 10 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

pinefox and nabisco are amazing here.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 10 November 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

I argue to get makeup sex.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Thursday, 10 November 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

I can pee standing up and feel it totally unecessary to defend myself further.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Thursday, 10 November 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Not to uncover the truth or anything, but everyone can pee standing up.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 10 November 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

You're breaking my balls here, martin.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Thursday, 10 November 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

'Men argue to win the argument - women do so to seek the truth'.

i want to win the argument. winning is underrated!

― Mrs. Genius McGuruchakra (and her secret knowledge) (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 10 November 2005 20:05 (twenty years ago)

The truth is in the WHIZZY:
Whizzy
...is a device that enables a woman to urinate from a standing position like a man. It is formed of heavy paper that slides virtually flat between your legs and opens to form a trough. Its unique and patented shape, angle and easy-grip handles make it very easy to use. It adjusts to each user's anatomy and stance. You stand naturally, with no bending or straddling necessary. It is disposable, and fits easily into purse, pocket or backpack.

― The Milkmaid (of Human Kindness) (The Milkmaid), Thursday, 10 November 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

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